When Camilla Trigano, who runs the Beverly Hills outpost of Taschen books, and her husband, Benjamin, owner of the hip M+B gallery in West Hollywood, moved with their two young children to L.A.'s Mar Vista neighborhood, they were desperately seeking a cool but unpretentious home where they and their friends could hang out barefoot. "We wanted a beach-house feel with a Tom Ford kind of elegance," says Benjamin, a native of Paris, whose family founded Club Med in the 1950s.

As luck would have it, one of their friends happens to be architect-designer Philippe Starck, who masterminded their fantasy house, using his own in Cap Ferret, France, as the inspiration. Starck created the box (keeping just one wall from the original 1940s house) and custom-mixed paints in Pantone graphic-design hues, beginning with the acid-green entryway that immediately lets you know you've gone down the rabbit hole.

While Starck left the Triganos to do the decorating, his lamps for Flos and furniture for Kartell feature prominently alongside important modern pieces and lots and lots of IKEA. It's those paints, though, that leave the greatest mark: "I've always lived in houses with white walls," says Camilla, a Brit who spent her formative years in southwestern France and Paris. "But as soon as I saw all this color, it was magic."

sunshine state

"Different wall colors set the mood of each room," Benjamin explains. The soft gray of the kitchen is overtaken by the butter-yellow living area that overlooks it, like the sun bursting through haze. The yellow is bright but doesn't overwhelm or feel silly, thanks to crisp white floors and ceilings and the band of white along the lower quarter of the walls—a decorative flourish Starck used to unify the rooms. Furniture in warm oranges and browns and wood lend a down-to-earthiness to the wide-open space, while the peek of pink in the stairway intrigues.

casual dining

Two or three times a week, the Triganos throw a dinner party for at least 10 people—and sometimes 40. On Sundays they often host brunches or barbecues. In keeping with the family's laissez-faire vibe, there's no formal dining room. Guests float from the living room to the adjoining patio, sitting anywhere they like, even the floor. And forget fancy table settings: The outdoor table is covered by a festive plastic fabric bought at a droguerie in France ("I bring back rolls of the stuff," Camilla says). A heater by the table lets the Triganos eat alfresco year-round.

happy bath

It's impossible not to feel uplifted in this sunny and spare bathroom, painted a shinier version of the living room's yellow (high-gloss paint is easier to clean). The Duravit sink and custom marble bath encasement speak to the minimal aesthetic the couple favors, while the Venetian mirror hits a glam note. Not fans of overhead lighting, the Triganos use these sweet Starck for Flos hanging lamps throughout the house, all of them set on dimmers. The couple also hate wires, so music is piped in here and elsewhere through built-in speakers.

slumber party

Formerly two tiny rooms, the kids' bedroom is the result of a merger. "We like the kids to share," Camilla says. Starck suggested pink for the walls because it's considered the most soothing color. The Danish rug brings rich texture to the understated room, which has little in the way of furniture: In addition to the twin beds, each child has a desk/play station (complete with G4!) and a spacious closet created with IKEA shelving fronted by white cotton curtains—to better conceal potential mess. Beyond the doors lies the deck, where Chloe and Adrian have set up their second homes—aka tents.

spalike suite

"In summer, we spend our days up here," Camilla says of the 600-square-foot aerie that serves as master bedroom and all-around family retreat. "We love to do nothing!" Benjamin chimes in. The furnishings are spartan and the pink walls largely bare—which encourages an instant melting away of mental clutter. Slat blinds on the 14 windows take advantage of the copious light: "In the morning, it's like God is coming into the room!" Benjamin exclaims playfully.

Behind the all-white bed is a hallway, along which lies a deconstructed bathroom (there are separate "rooms" for the toilet and the marble shower). The pièce de résistance is this open vanity-table-cum-sink, where everything from towels to beauty products is at the ready for pampering.

the great outdoors

The upstairs patio off the master bedroom affords a million-dollar view of the Santa Monica mountains, the ocean and the endless sky. After a trip to the beach or a morning jog, says Camilla, there's nothing better than rinsing off in the freestanding tub, then drying in the sun on the Pottery Barn daybed.

The downstairs deck, which extends from the living room and along the length of the kids' room, tends to be more active. The children ride their bikes there, and when Camilla and Benjamin aren't entertaining, they're reading or relaxing on the daybed or in the hammock, which provides the perfect respite from the sun. IKEA mirrors propped against the wall reflect bougainvillea bushes and bamboo trees, extending the landscape. "I've always wanted to live in the countryside," Camilla says. "For me, this is home."